$20 Game of the Week: Plants vs Zombies (PC, Mac, IPhone OS)

Hmm, the kids seem to be into these tower defense games, and everyone loves zombies. Why not put the two together? Popcap, the king of casual gaming, has done just that with Plants vs Zombies. You play as a homeowner, and hordes of the undead are invading your lawn. All that stands between you and the undead holocaust is your garden and several lawnmowers.. These aren’t any ordinary plants however, these are sentient plants with combat abilities to fight off the zombie horde. You stockpile sunlight so you can have enough money to place your seeds. Each level you gain access to new plants, so you’re learning how to play the game as you move along. Your neighbor Crazy Dave helps you out by selling you seeds at his store, and you can take part in bonus games such as wall-nut zombie bowling. There are several unlockable modes, some of which parody Popcap’s other games such as Bejeweled.

Overall, the gameplay is easy enough for casual gamers to pick up and play while still being complex enough to appeal to hardcore gamers. Plants vs Zombies is a lot of fun, and out of all of Popcap’s products, it has gained the most success amongst ‘hardcore’ gamers. In fact, it’s estimated that half of the game’s sales are from the hardcore gamer crowd. It’s available for PC, Mac, Iphone OS, and is coming soon to Xbox Live arcade. Although nothing has been announced yet, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see it on Playstation Network and Wiiware anytime soon. Just because it’s made by Popcap doesn’t mean you should dismiss it as just another game for your grandparents.